Center for Scientific Diving (CSD) of the Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung – Biologische Anstalt Helgoland BAH
The training to become a certified research diver at the Centre for Scientific Diving (CSD) of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholz Centre for Polar and Marine Research takes place at the Biological Institute Helgoland according to the shortened training programme. Prerequisites for participation are sound diving knowledge from the recreational diving sector (e.g. PADI Rescue Diver) and at least 30 proven diving hours. The course duration is between 4 and 5 weeks and is divided into two blocks in May/June and Sept/Oct. The time between the course halves is used to deepen the theoretical learning content via an e-learning seminar. The location Helgoland offers the possibility to train future research divers under different conditions (exposed and protected waters). The scientific work of the CSD focuses on service science (procurement of sample material for national and international research institutions, set-up and implementation of experiments for internal and external non-diving research groups) and on the own research projects of the scientific staff of the CSD (investigation of the spatio-temporal dynamics of fish and macrozoobenthos in the area of artificial hard substrates (cf. tetrapods) in coastal areas, development of coastal underwater observatories and autonomous measuring instruments in cooperation with external institutes and companies.
Forschungstauchzentrum der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel – Institut für Geowissenschaften
The Research Diving Centre of Kiel University (FTZK), founded in the 1960s, is one of the oldest and largest facilities of its kind in Germany and worldwide. It owes this not least to its location between the North and Baltic Seas and nearby limnic waters, where aquatic research has always been a priority. The main task of the FTZK is to support research projects that require manned work under water; at the same time, as a training organisation recognised by the statutory insurance carrier, it trains personnel to become certified research divers. All aquatically oriented disciplines at Kiel University and partner institutions are equally considered. About 50 active, certified research divers with different professional expertise as well as extensive logistics are available for research diving assignments in a wide variety of areas, depending on demand. The annual full and final education to become a certified research diver not only teaches diving skills, but also the handling of specialised working techniques as well as interdisciplinary work. The training blocks include a one-week diving camp in Denmark as well as excursions with FK Littorina, which was designed as a diving support vessel, among other things. The 12 training slots are allocated to institutions of biology, geosciences and prehistory and early history, but applications from differently oriented or external institutes are also considered. The FTZK also offers further training courses (e.g. additional qualification as a diving supervisor; Kiel diving medicine), also in close cooperation with the Naval Medical Institute in Kronshagen, as well as training units in indoor and open water. The FTZK is a member of the KFT.
Universität Hamburg, Zentrum für Meeres- und Klimaforschung
The „Scientific Diving Group of the University of Hamburg“ has exists at the Institute of Oceanography of the University of Hamburg since 1977. As part of the course „Scientific Diving“, part of the training (= preliminary training) to become a research diver is offered. The semester-long training includes two hours of theoretical instruction and two hours of practical training in the university’s indoor swimming pool every week. The open-water training mainly takes place in local waters. Other diving training waters are located on the German and Danish Baltic Sea coasts and in Lower Saxony. For trained and certified research divers, a private excursion abroad is organised once a year. The training is limited to 20 participants per course (every 2 years). After successful pre-training, graduation as a research diver is required in one of the other training companies.
Universität Rostock
The Scientific Diving Centre (FTZ) at the University of Rostock has been training scientific divers since 1995. It thus continues a long tradition – of scientific diver training (as light commercial swimmers) from as early as 1961 with the appointment of the first apprentice trainer. In the SD training, instructors from the Institute of Biosciences at the Math. Fak. of the UniR, the Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) and the State Office for Culture and Preservation of Heritage MV(LAKD). This long-standing team of instructors is complemented by experienced scientific divers and physicians. The Roman-Germanic Commission is in the process of joining the training cooperation. The theory courses for SD training are part of the curriculum of the Master’s degree programmes in marine biology and aquaculture at the UniR. Full training still plays the dominant role in SD training. Shortened training is possible in principle, however, in compliance with the KFT requirements. Until now, the full training was divided into 3 blocks: 3 weeks Feb/March (theory / SH) + 2 weeks inland sea + 3 weeks Baltic Sea. The training is financed to 90% by fees from the course participants. In addition to the training of scientific divers, all scientific open water diving missions are carried out by the FTZ. The FTZ also provides material and personnel support for all scientific open water diving missions at the UniR and, if necessary, at the cooperation partners IOW and LAKD. The FTZ also acts as an advisor to external institutions that deploy scientific divers. To a certain extent, scientific services have already been provided in the form of scientific diving missions. If required, the FTZ develops and implements further training programmes. For example, CPR refresher courses are offered annually. The course „Nitrox for research divers“ is also integrated here. The FTZ has so far been open to interested parties from all over the country and from all relevant professional groups – including non-university members. In this respect, the method developments for scientific diving operations are oriented towards interdisciplinary applications and not necessarily subject-specific ones. In recent years, a solution for a UW-GPS has been worked on at the FTZ. In close cooperation with a Chilean university, it has been possible to develop several device variants and use them in (partly international) diving projects. Based on this, georeferenced underwater photos and videos can be created today, to which CTD data can also be assigned. The work on the Baltic Sea is carried out on the one hand by our own smaller work boats and on the other hand by larger vessels (e.g. the cutter GADUS or chartered JASMUND, PRAUNUS or GOOR II or the ELISABETH MANN BORGESE). macos/deepLFree.translatedWithDeepL.text
Universität Oldenburg Institut für Chemie und Biologie des Meeres (ICBM)
Under the direction of Frank Donat, a complete training course with currently 8-9 participants has been held annually since 1999. The training takes place over two semesters and starts in the winter semester. The six-week final training lasts from mid-August to the beginning of October. Among other things, the Environmental Biochemistry group conducts diver-assisted studies in the fields of ecology (e.g. chemical signals, defence against predators). The working areas so far have been in the North Sea, the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific.
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Limnologische Station Iffeldorf – Lehrstuhl für Aquatische Systembiologie, Technische Universität München
Research at the Department of Aquatic Systems Biology is dedicated to the following core questions: How do aquatic ecosystems function? How do natural and anthropogenic factors (e.g. extinction processes or invasions of neobiota) influence the functionality of these systems? How can effective strategies be developed to protect aquatic biodiversity that take ecological and genetic processes into account? The training to become a scientific diver is integrated into the module Underwater Ecology (12 ECTS) of the Biology degree programme. Only enrolled students or employees of universities can participate. The module is divided into a marine biology part, which takes place in Croatia, and a limnology part, which takes place at Lake Starnberg. With appropriate previous knowledge, the training can be shortened by arrangement Procedure: – 2 weeks block course at the Olympiahallenbad Munich (Feb./March) – 2 weeks block course in Cres, Croatia (June) – 4 weeks block course at the Limnological Station, Lake Starnberg (September) For the theoretical training, the e-learning platform TUM Moodle is used during the semester. During the block courses there are seminars and lectures by the students on marine biological and limnological topics.
TERAQUA GdBR
Teraqua has been commissioned by the Commission for Underwater Archaeology of the Association of State Archaeologists in the Federal Republic of Germany to train research divers. Underwater Archaeology Commission of the Association of State Archaeologists in the Federal Republic of Germany. Our Lake Constance-based training company, in cooperation with the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege, Hemmenhofen, mainly trains archaeologists, with a focus on inland water archaeology. Students and specialists from all other aquatic disciplines are welcome. As a privately organised company, we attach great importance to practice-oriented training. Within the framework of field assignments, research divers are given the opportunity to gain experience in diving under ice and diving in currents. We only offer the „shortened training“, i.e. applicants must show us experience and a ** – brevet as an entry requirement. Teraqua offers further training to become an „archaeological research diver“, which is required by the Association of State Archaeologists as a prerequisite for excavation management in underwater archaeological investigations.
Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT)
For many marine science questions and numerous research approaches at the ZMT, scientific diving is an indispensable method. Examples include reef ecology experiments and inventories, physiological studies of reef organisms, measurement of environmentally relevant data or the collection of sedimentological and biogeochemical samples.
The ZMT’s Scientific Diving Centre (SDC) supports all scientific departments with advice, logistics and training. The dive centre consists of scientists and staff trained as instructors and assistants. The team is led by a dive safety officer. Together they train new scientific divers and support the ZMT staff in planning and conducting their diving missions.